Press Staff Blog

Grover, Say What?

Key Point: “Not continuing a tax cut is not technically a tax increase,” Mr. Norquist told us. So it doesn’t violate the pledge? “We wouldn’t hold it that way,” he said.

Out from under the anti-tax pledge

Washington Post Editorial, Published: July 20

Wall St. Sends Another Grave Warning, Will House Republicans Listen?

Wanted to make sure you all saw this article in the New York Times outlining the damage to our fragile economy that default would do. So far, House Republicans have refused to heed the warnings and have refused to work with Democrats on a big, grand bargain approach to deficit reduction that includes revenues.

Maybe these warnings from the Times will wake them up:

CAP Interactive Map: No Debt Limit Increase Means Big Cuts to State Services

Republicans may be in denial about the catastrophic consequences of failing to ensure we pay America’s bills, but it’s clear that states will pay the price if Congress doesn’t come together on a balanced agreement to ensure we pay our bills. In case Republicans need a visual to understand the impact, CAP has put together an interactive map showing how states would be affected, with each losing hundreds of millions of dollars if we fail to ensure we pay our nation’s bills.

From the Center for American Progress:

Stranger Than Fiction

From the Democratic Whip Press Shop:

We know that Republican debt limit antics have reached the point of absurdity when The Onion hits the nail on the head describing the Republicans’ position that’s putting our economy at risk. Republicans may be pushing our country toward default, but at least they’re pushing the bounds of satire at the same time:

Washington Post: Dear House Republicans: Raise the debt limit for your hero Ronald Reagan’s sake

Wanted to make sure you all saw this post in the Washington Post’s Plum Line blog about how House Republicans are so dug in on the deficit issue, they are not even willing to listen to Ronald Reagan.

House GOP Freshman: Out of Touch and Out of Time

With less than two weeks to go before America defaults on its debts, House Republican Freshman are still trying to score political points and push their extreme agenda, even if it means America not paying its bills for the first time. Or even if it means turning on their own party leaders.

As Politico reports:

Hypocrisy Watch: Elected as Cost-Cutters, Freshmen Push Spending for Home Districts

While we’re all focused on talks to ensure America pays its bills and we reduce the deficit, this NY Times article caught our attention. Hypocrisy is alive and well among House Republicans:

GOP Should Take Note: Another Poll Shows Majority of Americans Support Big, Balanced Deal

Now that House Republicans have taken a symbolic vote on their radically ideological “Cut, Cap and End Medicare” bill, perhaps they will listen to the majority of Americans who support a big, balanced agreement and work with Democrats on a compromise that includes both revenues and spending cuts to ensure we pay America’s bills and reduce the deficit.

From the Wall Street Journal:

WSJ/NBC Poll: Americans Take Debt Ceiling Seriously

A WSJ/NBC poll released today shows Republicans who continue to deny the catastrophic consequences of failing to pay our bills are out of touch with the majority of Americans. According to the poll, most Americans believe default would be a “a real and serious problem.” Democrats are committed to avoiding the consequences of default and continue to advocate for a large, balanced package to reduce the deficit and ensure we pay our nation’s bills.

White House Blog: An Unbalanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

Wanted to make sure you all saw this White House blog post on Republicans’ “Cut, Cap and End Medicare” bill, an extreme proposal that increases our chances of default and makes the same drastic cuts as the Republican budget, which ends Medicare and drastically cuts Medicaid, while preserving tax breaks for the wealthy. Democrats continue to urge Republicans to work with us so that we can enact a large agreement to reduce the deficit and ensure America pays its bills.